Rise From The Ashes
by missheartilly
Summary: When dealt with a decision between death or loss of all he holds dear, one difficult choice can change everything.
1. Only a Dream

**Author's Note/forward do-hickey-ma-bober:** Hello everyone! This has been a story that I've been wanting to write for many years. I'm really excited to actually sit down and work on it. There are a few others (namely, Stitchedmoon and 100 Series) who have told wonderful stories of what happened after the end of Xenosaga III (especially involving these characters), and have excellent takes on their version of the story. This is something like my own take on it. I haven't gone into details with some parts (such as the technical details of the new network, how it was re-established, what it was like for MOMO growing up). Instead, this story is more about the family dynamics of Ziggy, MOMO and Juli as I have imagined them having been developed and furthered.

Namely what exists in this story was something that started in 2005-2007 with a Xenosaga roleplay that I was involved in over Livejournal. I played Ziggy, and I had experimented with some concepts that will be brought out in this story. They never really managed to come full circle as the group fell apart. But I really have to say thanks to Explixi, Joh, Eliza, Psyche, Dizzilly, and the-demon-yuber for being awesome all those years ago. I also want to say thank you to Stitchedmoon for inspiring me to get off my butt and get this story out, even if it's not *quite* how I wanted to do with it in the end.

I may not be the best writer, but I hope that everyone who reads this will enjoy it, and perhaps take a little something special with them.

* * *

_For death is but a passing phase of Life; _

_A change of dress, a disrobing;_

_ A birth into the unborn again; _

_A commencing where we ended; _

_A starting where we stopped to rest; _

_A crossroad of Eternity; _

_A giving up of something, to possess all things. _

_The end of the unreal, the beginning of the real. _

_ - EDWIN LEIBFREED, "The Song of the Soul"_

* * *

**Chapter 1: That which we fear**

A blast of frigid air rushed through the long, almost tunnel-like hallway as the door slid open. Stepping inside, he observed his surroundings. He could hear the door sliding closed him, abruptly ending the rush of cold air. He was now surrounded by almost perpetual darkness, save for the tiny green lights leading down the passageway. Without any further hesitation, he moved forward, with an ever-quickening pace.

He tried to keep his mind off the events that had transpired in the last twenty-four hours. Doing so, would only result in failing the mission that he had set out to do. Yet, with every minute that passed, and each turn the passageway took, every flight of iron steps he raced over, he felt himself growing more and more sick with worry. It would have been nauseating, but he no longer had the capabilities to feel that way, a small blessing at least.

He had went to sleep the night before in his maintenance chair. Yet for some strange reason, he did not wake up at the time he had programmed. Instead, upon awaking, he found that the controls had been tampered with some time in the middle of the night. Not sensing anyone on his sensors, he rushed into the main room, seeing a clear sign of a struggle. The sliding glass door leading out to the back yard had been broken, leaving the curtains to waft in the breeze. Shattered glass lay strewn across the carpet. A brownish substance had seeped into the fibers. Instantly, he recognized it for what it was. He hoped that it belonged to whoever had managed to break in.

He followed the trail, leading to Juli's bedroom. The door had been flung open, objects were strewn across the floor, a few had been smashed to pieces. His heart racing, he quickly made his way down the hallway toward MOMO's room. It was much the same. The door was wide open, and everything was strewn about. Most noticeably, her pink dresser had been shoved over. There were several burn marks on the wall behind him, looking as if the wall had been pelted with the arrows her her bow.

Ziggy felt weak, as if he'd fall to his knees at any moment. If it weren't for his heavy steel legs, he would have. He had no clue where to look, where to start. He only had a giant mess on his hands. He'd have to investigate further to find any substantial clues. A tiny, faint whimper broke him from his thoughts. _Alby._

The cyborg carefully waded over the mess, being sure not to disturb anything or ruin any evidence of the struggle that had occurred. Behind the tipped-over dresser lay the familiar form of MOMO's dog. He looked injured, frightened, but none-the-less, alive. The small dog thumped his tail upon the carpet when he came near.

"What happened, Alby?" He asked softly, knowing fully that the dog wouldn't respond. "Who did this?" He carefully stroked the dog's' head.

The small dog lifted his head and whimpered. Underneath him lay a torn piece of cloth. It seemed like nothing at first, but as he gingerly picked Alby up, he noticed what appeared to be half a logo embroidered upon the piece of fabric. It didn't seem to be the logo of a clothing company. Instead, it looked oddly familiar.

Quickly, he went into action researching whatever information he could find, in hopes to find the logo. Within a matter of minutes, he discovered it. The logo was tied to the Hyams organization, which was also a part of Ormus. Alby was given to the care of a neighbor, while he went out to find them. He knew that by the time the police arrived and an investigation was started, it would be too late. This was something he had to do himself.

Some time had passed, and he was not sure how long it had been. It was either by his own determination, or just dumb luck, that he managed to find it. He quickly barred through the passageways. The area seemed fairly straightforward, despite the winding hallways and ever-lowering elevation. It appeared to be some sort of abandoned research laboratory. Judging from the looks of it, the place had been abandoned for at least twenty years. As he rounded another corner, a rather large steel stairwell led downward. Without any other options, he began to head downward.

As he came closer, he detected life signs somewhere below. It was faint, but definitely there. He hurried downward as quickly and quietly as his heavy body would allow him.

When he came around the corner, a sickening sight greeted him. Dozens of bodies lay strewn across the floor as if they had been gunned down by some unknown force. He walked by one body lying limp at the base of the titanium staircase. His face was twisted in some kind of gruesome expression, as if his last moments were met with agonizing pain. He quickly took his eyes away from the face, he had to continue on.

Then, that's when he saw her. Immediately, he recognized the familiar form lying slumped on the floor in a pool of red. He could tell already that there were no signs of life. Still, he stumbled forward, nearly falling over his own footsteps as he came close to her.

_Juli..._

He couldn't find the strength to speak her name. Instead, his mouth had become dry, and his eyes suddenly stung. He slowly moved his shaking hand to her shoulder and pulled her toward him. Her body was limp and slumped over, drenched hair covering half of her face, washing it in red. He could tell that she had sustained a horrible wound.

He sat there, for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't look away, but at the same time, he couldn't register the sight before him. Trembling, he finally stood up and made his way forward. He needed to find MOMO. He knew she had to be ahead somewhere. Perhaps she had managed to escape. He knew she was a capable of defending herself.

Another passageway followed, this time, there was a trail of red leading forward. He ran, trying to keep all remaining composure he had left. He needed to find her. After what seemed like a lifetime, the passageway finally morphed into an expansive room. It looked as if some huge battle had occured here, judging by the damage done to the walls and various structures positioned throughout the space. However, his sights were set immediately to the center of the room. It was her, and she was alive. Although from the looks of the situation, just barely. Half running, half staggering, the cyborg rushed to her side.

She was lying on her side, sobbing quietly and clutching her stomach. His steel knees hit the floor with a hard thud.

"MOMO." He finally found the strength to speak.

She looked up at him, her large golden eyes brimming with tears. "Ziggy... I'm so sorry. I... I couldn't save Mommy. I..."

He shook his head. "It's... alright. I... understand." He reached down, gingerly pulling her closer to him. He could tell she was badly wounded. Her pulse was weakening, and her breathing was shallow. He carefully pulled her into his lap, making sure not to hurt her further. She turned into him, tears streaming down her cheeks. He thought for a moment he would be doing the same, but he held it back. He had to be strong for her. His gloved hand rested on the back of her head. "Save your strength. I'll get you out of here."

"I... I don't think I can make it." She whispered weakly.

He didn't think she would either, but he had to try. He _had_ to. "Please hold on, just a little longer." _Please..._ He bit his lip, as a heavy lump formed in the back of his throat. He carefully picked her up, cradling the young realian in his arms. She was shivering, almost violently. He knew that wasn't a good sign. The cyborg continued on, running as fast as he could. The passageways were long, and there was no way he could get her to safety in time.

His heart was throbbing in his chest, his right arm was shaking, it felt weak and limp. He didn't know how to continue. Should he give up? He decided to continue forward, that was, until her wavering voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Ziggy." She whispered.

He stopped in his tracks then. "What is it?" He glanced down at her, noticing that she had grown more pale, almost sickly.

"Thank you." She weakly gripped the fabric of his shirt, and looked up at him, smiling through the tears that soaked her face. "Thank you for always being there for me, and for always looking out for me. I'm sorry... I- I can't look out for you anymore but..."

"Stop." He told her. almost too sternly. "Don't say that."

Her shuddering worsened, and she cried out in pain. Ziggy dropped to the floor cradling her. "Hold on... please." He could feel himself choking up. _Hold on for me._

"I.. I can't." She coughed, and a stream of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. "I'm sorry."

"No..." The words barely escaped his lips, as the realization hit him hard. She began to shudder in his arms uncontrollably, until she suddenly feel entirely limp, letting out a weak gasp. His sensors detected no signs of life, only a fleeting warmth, growing ever more cold as each second ticked by. He pulled her closer, but knowing that nothing he could do would bring her back. Everything important to him was gone now. He had failed them, and once again, he had to continue living. He wanted to cry out in agony, yet he couldn't. He didn't have the strength or the resolve. Beyond the numbness and dull ache in the back of his throat, he felt nothing.

"_Ziggy?"_

He could still hear her calling out to him.

"_Ziggy!"_

He felt his body shake. Was the emotion he was holding back escaping finally?

"Ziggy! Come on, wake up!"

_Her voice seems... different somehow. _

"ZIGGY!" She shouted at him. "I'm sorry but..."

Suddenly everything turned black, and his eyes were almost forced open. If it weren't for the dim light of the control panels by his maintenance bed, he'd be in complete darkness.. Before him was a blurry, yet familiar face, looking at him squarely in the eyes.

"Ziggy? Are you alright?"

The cyborg groaned, rubbing at his eyes. His heart was still pounding and his biological half was covered in a cold sweat.

"...Yeah." He caught his breath and then looked over at her, as his vision came into focus.

"I'm sorry, I used the emergency cut off procedure on your maintenance program. I... I got up to get a drink of water. When I went by your room, something seemed wrong, and... I'm so sorry to wake you! I was just really worried about you."

Ziggy shook his head. "No, It's alright. Thank you, MOMO." He offered her a faint, but almost forced smile. He was still disturbed by the images flashing through his mind earlier. He realized then that the MOMO he had seen in his dream was her younger self. She was older now, he remembered. It was two ago when she had undergone the transferal to an adult form. Despite being nineteen years old, not much else had changed about her. She stood next to him looking down at her feet shyly. She was wearing her favorite pajamas, an oversized shirt which read "Bunnie University" with the iconic character printed on the front, along with matching pink pants. She was barefoot, and half of her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, the rest fell loose in short curled tendrils around her neck.

"I didn't want to disturb you or anything, but... I was worried." She looked up at him. "Were you having another nightmare?" Despite her older appearance, she still had the same childlike innocence about her.

Ziggy nodded. "Yes, I suppose so." He frowned again, thinking the events over again in his mind. He had been having more of these nightmares recently. Five years ago after they had returned from Michtam, he still had the occasional nightmare of reliving his final moments. Slowly but surely, they began to subside. Outside of the one or two rare brief ones every few months, they had almost disappeared entirely. It wasn't until recently, the subject matter of those dreams began to change.

Initially, it was difficult to begin picking up the pieces in a world that had become so broken. With Scientia and help from Vector, with MOMO and Juli working day and night, the new network had begun construction. Although it was nearly five years to the date, it was still not complete, and it would take many more years before it had been perfected.

As an experiment, they had managed with assistance to reconnect with the Elsa. For two years, MOMO had sent text and radio-based messages and updates to them, along with upgrade instructions. They were nowhere near ready to send data and video conferencing. Yet with two former Vector engineers on board, it was not hard to get some form of communication working and improving upon it. They had secretly kept it open, and later able to send messages toward the Elsa, including upgrades. Working between the two groups, they were able to create the first gate column on the new network based on the two locations. However, it remained for the most part unused.

MOMO had expressed concern for wanting to see everyone again. Yet, she knew the dangers of doing so. She hesitated still, it was only herself, MOMO, Juli, Doctus, Miyuki, Togashi, and the those on board the Elsa that knew that this column existed.

What remained of Ormus was slowly beginning to reorganize. Many followers had left the organization four years prior after all hell had broken loose and the dust had begun to settle. Still, there were many remaining who felt the desire to assert themselves to the top of the ranks. Small and rather insignificant at first, the group was beginning to pose a threat, having regained access to weaponry and equipment. It was only a matter of time before the situation grew to a larger threat. It was then that the suspicions regarding the existence of such a column began arising. Knowing this fully, MOMO had sent out a final message to the Elsa, hoping to one day regain contact. The column was closed, locked, and encrypted.

As the new network was becoming available to an increasing amount of colonies and planets, rumors had begun circulating. Juli had been involved in the creation of the network, alongside of MOMO, and the events that had happened during the Miltian conflict were still fresh in some people's minds, despite it having happened nearly years ago. The gnosis had seemingly invaded en-masse while whole planets were disappearing. People began linking the more recent events with the Miltian conflict, where it had all begun, and the Mizrahi's involvement. The populace had become suspicious about a new network having been created in part by the same family that had allegedly started the conflict. Juli had been on the receiving end of a great deal of gossip and defamation for a very long time. Yet she had never experienced it this badly.

"Were you having trouble sleeping?" Ziggy asked her. It was unusual for her to be awake at this hour of the night. Though, given the situation they were facing, it wasn't out of the question.

The realian nodded slowly. "I'm just worried about Mommy." She took a seat across from him on a folding chair they had kept in the room. "I know I probably shouldn't be. She's... been through things like this before. But it doesn't keep me from worrying." Her eyes met his, with a hint of sadness.

He stood up then and took a step forward. He then placed his right hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure she'll do fine." It was typical of her to be more concerned for others than herself. She had an important role to play tomorrow as well, having been one of the major figureheads in the creation of the new network.

"If something happens to Mommy tomorrow, what will happen to us?" She tugged at the hem of her shirt, wrinkling the fabric in her palms.

It was something that he didn't like to think about. Admittedly, the thought did occasionally cross his mind. He knew that he would likely go back into custody of the government. With that, every purpose he had to go on living would be gone. Who knew what would happen to MOMO? She was grown now, and could fight for herself, but she could never live a normal life. "I... I don't know." He told her, finally. "But don't concern yourself with it, unless it becomes a very real possibility. Right now, what we're dealing with are merely rumors and acquisitions. That's not enough to separate us. If such a situation does ever arise, we can try to figure out a solution. But for right now, don't cause yourself any undue stress." He kneeled down to eye level, and looked her in the eyes. "Just focus on tomorrow for now, alright? I'll be there to support both of you."

She smiled at him, and it was reciprocated. She found him smiling more often over the last few years. Although, at first, it was just a small loosening at the corners of his mouth. Now, it was a little more. Sometimes, she'd even be lucky enough to catch a light chuckle. Whatever it was, she could tell he was a lot happier now than he had ever been since she'd known him. "Thank you, Ziggy." She said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

He returned the embrace, and patted her on the back gently. He realized he needed the affection just as much as she did. He was just glad that his nightmare wasn't a reality. MOMO was the closest thing he'd ever have to a daughter, yet their relationship was different than that. They shared a very close friendship and level of understanding. Every day that passed, their bond grew stronger. Not just between the two, but all three.

He thought about Juli then, and traced her location to her bedroom. She was likely sleeping at this hour, she he didn't want to disturb her. He was a bit worried for her too, knowing how these sorts of situations were taxing on her. She'd never readily admit it, but he could tell, and MOMO could too. She had become a little more distant the last few weeks when this situation began to arise.

One night, just shortly after the story hit the news, he'd went to check on her. She was sitting on her bed, files spread out before her, and her connection gear was tossed aside. She looked like she had been engrossed in her work for several hours. He stood at the doorway feeling almost as if he was intruding, despite knowing otherwise.

"Juli." He spoke her name so quietly, it was barely decipherable above the hum of electricity.

She didn't look up at him, but seemed to acknowledge his presence. Her head hang lower and she seemed to retract within when she heard his voice.

He didn't move from his position, but he spoke a little louder this time. "Are you... alright?"

She looked over at him then, her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. "Does it look like I'm alright, Jan?" She asked him. Her words may have seemed sharp to anyone else, but the soft tone of her voice told otherwise.

"No." He told her, taking a step inside the room. He watched as she buried her face in her hands. "Is there... anything I can do for you?" He offered, finally. She'd been distant from both of them the entire day, and they knew why. He'd decided the best option would be to allow her space. It was what he needed after all when he was troubled... time to sort it all out in his mind. At least, that's what he _thought_ she needed. He had trouble with these kinds of things. There was no strategy or calculations that could dictate victory or failure. This was foreign territory. He decided that checking up on her wouldn't be a bad idea at this point.

"I'm not sure." Juli replied, not meeting his eyes.

A long moment passed before he finally spoke up again."If you'd like me to leave you alone, I will. MOMO and I were concerned. You've been in your room all day."

She looked up at him then, and feigned a smile. "Thank you, but... please, don't leave. To be honest, I'm feeling a little lonely. I could use some company right now."

He nodded, and then took a seat on one of the chairs in the corner of the room. It wasn't that he needed to sit, but he felt more awkward standing around given the situation.

She spoke up again after a long moment. "You know, it's crazy. We do everything we can to try to put this world back together, yet... we don't even get a 'thank you'. Instead, people are too busy wallowing in the past. I don't understand it." She rubbed at her eyes. "How can they accuse me of this, accuse _us_?"

"Juli..." He said quietly. He didn't know what to say, given the unsteady nature of her voice. He would have had the words normally, but her emotional state troubled him. "People... they are too quick to point fingers at others instead of accepting their own responsibility. It's not your fault, or anything that we've done." He paused for a long moment, and looked over at her. "Please... don't take it out on yourself." There was more he wanted to tell her, but he wasn't sure how to articulate it.

She looked up, and their eyes met. Her expression softened, finding solace in his presence. She found herself drifting towards him. When she was within just a few feet away from him, he reached over and took her hands in his. "We'll make it through this, I'm sure." He told her, attempting to offer some level of comfort.

She drew closer, and bent over, she pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "Thank you." Her voice had hushed to a whisper. His hands moved slowly, wrapping them around her waist. She moved her hands to his shoulders. He stood then, and she quickly found herself pulled into an embrace. Juli smiled finally, as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Affection like this wasn't something that exactly came quickly or easily. He had been extremely hesitant during the first year, even as they grew closer. Little by little, he had begun opening up to Juli, letting her in. There was no doubt that he cared for her. Yet, now... he had slowly begun letting it become more obvious. A slight lingering touch of his hand, an arm around her shoulder, if only for a brief moment, a different tone in his voice and look in his eyes were signs of the changes going on within him. Yet, part of him still wished to keep her at a distance. It was one thing to take on the role he had for MOMO. It was another... entirely to willingly enter into a relationship such as this with her.

She knew why he had been hesitant, and she never questioned it. She never expected more than what he was able to give. However, it came as a bit of a surprise when he had finally mentioned it to her two years prior.

"Juli?" He had asked that morning so long ago in her memory. He was standing by the entrance to the kitchen area. She was sitting at the table looking over her connection gear. It was late at night, and MOMO had already gone to bed.

There was a certain tone in his voice that was apparent when he felt as if he was about to ask for something when he didn't feel he had the right to do so. She couldn't tell sometimes if he honestly felt that way, or if it was some sort of forced habit that he hadn't let go of. She looked up at him and sat down her connection gear. She didn't say anything, but the slight knowing smile she wore was enough to let him know she was listening.

He took a step closer and then glanced downward, hesitating. He always had difficulty with these kinds of discussions. "I... Uh..." He stammered. "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about but... you see, I..." He frowned and then scratched the back of his neck with his right hand nervously. Under normal circumstances, he would never let on that something troubled him, but he knew that he could let his guard down with her. "I'm sorry." He stated finally. "I'm not entirely sure how to state what it is I want to say."

Juli tilted her head slightly. "Is something wrong, Jan?" He frowned slightly and didn't meet her eyes. By now, she was learning to decipher his body language. At this, she felt her heart sink a little. She stood up and walked to him, a deep look of concern in her eyes. "Did I do something wrong?"

He shook his head. "No." He told her, trying to calm her fears. "You've done nothing wrong. I suppose the problem is that I'm... worried." He finally admitted after a long moment. He looked away from her again, trying to mask the guilt that was seeping through. "I'm worried because we both know that I don't have a lifetime to spend with you. Neither of us know exactly how long it will be. I... I don't want to see you or MOMO suffer because of me."

"Jan..." Juli reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. He quickly jerked away from her touch.

Juli pulled her hand back, almost as if she had been injured. She clutched her arm and stepped backward, looking only to the floor.

"I'm sorry." He told her, still avoiding eye contact.

Another long few moments passed, and Juli stood there, wondering what to say. She was crestfallen. Tugging at her coat, she slipped back into her chair. "Is this really what you want?" She asked him. "If so... I understand, but to be honest, it hurts me to hear you say that." She ran her fingertips across the cold glass surface of the table, as if by doing so, it would somehow mask the insecurity in her own voice.

"No... It's not what I want." He told her, finally. "It's that... I don't know what it is I want." He almost continued, but opted to keep the rest of his thoughts to himself.

"Well..." Juli spoke up, after a long hesitation. "If you don't know what you want... what are you feeling?" She looked away again, her eyes drifting toward the floor. "Sometimes, when I'm unsure of what to do in any given situation, I try to consider how I feel."

A long few minutes passed as he contemplated what she asked him. "I can't remember a time when I've been this happy, at least since I've been in this form." He came up beside her, and placed his right hand on her shoulder, barely touching her. "You're both extremely important to me... not just because I have a duty to carry out here. I love both of you. I suppose, because of that, I'm afraid." It wasn't the first time he had admitted it to her, it had finally bubbled to the surface some time ago. By now, it was no secret. Yet, those were words he rarely said. On one hand, he should tell them more often, if only because he knew his time was short. Yet... she knew, and at least in MOMO's case, it was obvious. There was no need to state the obvious. Yet, when he told her this, she visibly relaxed and her smile had returned. For that, at least, he was thankful.

"Even if you were no longer with us in a few years, even a few weeks or... heaven forbid tomorrow, I am thankful that we've been able to spend what time we have together." She reached up and rested her hand against his. "Of course, it will hurt when you're gone. There's no way to avoid that pain. But had we never come to this point, I think... the pain would only be that much more unbearable. I need you, _we_ need you, and... I know you need us. Please, don't let your fears push us away." She looked up at him then, almost pleading with her eyes.

It was if at that moment, she had given him the permission he needed to continue. Little by little, one step at a time, they moved forward, sometimes taking a step or two backwards, other times great leaps until they had finally arrived where they stood two years later, arms wrapped around one another finding comfort and strength in each other's presence.

MOMO pulled away after a long moment. "I feel better now, I think."

"Good." The cyborg replied. "We should probably both get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Right." She stood up then, and nodded at him. "Thanks, Ziggy! You're the best!"

"No, Thank you." He told her, his expression relaxing. "Sleep well."

"Same to you." She giggled, as she headed toward the door. Ziggy turned and took a seat in his maintenance bed. Before he could configure the controls, he noticed that MOMO was still standing at the door, hesitating to leave. His steel blue eyes met hers, appearing cold and grey in the dim light.

"Goodnight, Ziggy." She smiled, but there was a hint of sadness present in her voice. Something neither could entirely pinpoint. It seemed as if it were almost mutual, volumes of words that could not be expressed that neither dared to tread.

"Goodnight."

"I..." MOMO paused then, briefly before shaking her head, as if she had suddenly changed her mind. She could read the concern in his stoic expression and feigned a smile, as if she had suddenly put on some sort of mask. "I...I love you, Ziggy."

It was something she had begun saying more openly, especially as the weeks turned to months, and had grown into years. Every moment they spent together was on borrowed time, another's watch. Yet, somehow, she felt the dire need to make it more and more obvious how important he was to her, how thankful she was that he had decided to remain with them for a little while longer. Maybe this was what was truly keeping her from sleep, her reasoning for checking on him on nights like this.

He smiled at her, a faint upturn on the corners of his mouth and a relaxation of his brow. "I love you too." His voice was quiet but gone was the mild gruffness as he responded. He didn't have to respond, as both never needed to affirm any of this. Still, he understood what she meant without saying it, and with his response, he told her everything he wanted to say without saying it. In the end, it was all either needed to know.

MOMO returned the smile as she closed the door behind her. She lingered there for a short moment, back resting against the door, gripping her left arm with her right. The realian exhaled before heading down the hallway toward her room.


	2. Preparation

Golden sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains draped over the large window panel of the master bedroom. Morning had arrived, and it was almost too soon. Juli had rolled over, her face landing directly in a bright beam of light. The unmistakable scent of coffee and bacon wafted through through the house. Wringing her eyes open, she glanced at the alarm clock on her night stand. The alarm would be going off in about four more minutes. She debated for a moment if she should just get up, or try to spend a few more moments relaxing in bed. It was going to be an awfully long and stressful day. After a few moments of debating, she decided to get up, just a minute shy of the alarm sounding. She reached over and pressed the button to turn the alarm off.

Heading toward the door, Juli wrapped a robe over her shoulders and headed down the hallway toward the living area. She could see MOMO at the stove. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel and she was busy preparing breakfast.

"Good Morning, Mommy!" MOMO twirled around to greet her as she took notice of her presence on her sensors. "Did you sleep well?"

"As well as could be expected considering." Juli said. "And you?"

"Kind of..." MOMO turned back toward the stove, and began placing the bacon she was cooking on another plate covered with a paper towel. "I really couldn't sleep all that well, so I got up early to make breakfast for everyone. I thought it would be nice if we could eat together... before... you know."

"Is Jan up yet?" Juli looked around the room.

"No." MOMO walked over to the table and set the plate of bacon down. "He's still in his room, I'm guessing he's still asleep."

"I should go wake him." Juli told her. "I'll be right back, okay?"

MOMO smiled at her. "Okay. I still need to cook the eggs! But don't be too long!" The realian giggled as she trotted back into the kitchen.

Juli headed down the hallway and came to the door leading to Ziggy's "Room". It was more like a large storage closet, lacking the nicer flooring and lighting in the rest of the house. Yet, the cyborg was adamant that this particular arrangement was preferred, and better than the carpeted guest room.

Juli peeked her head inside, he knew that he valued his privacy. However, she knew that by now, he didn't really mind. Even so, she gave the door a gentle knock. When he didn't respond, she entered at her own will taking a few steps toward him. He was sleeping soundly, his head tilted slightly as his shoulders moved ever so slightly as he breathed. She took a moment before waking him to look over the monitors. She frowned slightly as she looked at the readout. The numbers had been decreasing little by little as time had been progressing. Lately, since the recent issues had begun occurring, a particular set of numbers had been on a steady, yet ever-so-slight decline. Juli wasn't sure what this meant, other than perhaps everything was causing him more stress than perhaps she realized. If he was in fact bothered by all of this, he never showed it, spoke up, and denied it outright. It was a discussion that Juli and MOMO would have every few days before he'd wake up.

"It's down another .03 percent from yesterday." MOMO mentioned, pushing a piece of toast across the plate with her fork.

"I see." Juli sipped at her tea, trying to disguise her dismay. "Did he say anything to you about it?"

"No, nothing." MOMO looked up from her plate. "I... really didn't ask. To be honest, I'm afraid to ask him."

That has how it had been for the three of them. They each knew that his time was limited, but they hoped that it wouldn't be too soon. Neither Juli or MOMO knew what too soon meant, as the thought of being without him was difficult. They could tell that the issue at hand still pained and worried him from time to time, but he tried his best to continue as normal.

Juli reached over and placed her hand on his cheek. _Please __stop __trying __to __hold __everything __inside__. _She bit her lip, and then let her hand slip to her side. When she returned her gaze toward him, she saw a familiar pair of icy blue eyes staring back at her.

Startled, Juli managed to smile. "Good Morning, Jan. It's 6:30." Juli said. "MOMO's making breakfast, will you join us?"

"Yeah." He responded, pushing himself out of the chair. "I'll be right there in a moment."

"Alright." Juli headed toward the door, stopping for a moment to look back at him for a quick second before returning to the kitchen.

When he was sure that she had left, he turned toward the screens. He frowned as he looked over the readout. As he suspected, it had been decreasing steadily for the last year or so, but now it was decreasing at an ever quickening pace. He knew this was inevitable. In part, he felt a wave of relief come over him each time he took notice. On the other hand, it seemed to be happening far too soon. He hadn't felt this way about dying six years ago, or even five. However, as he had begun spending more time with Juli and MOMO, his feelings had changed. He wanted to continue to be there for them, perhaps for a bit longer at the very least.

He wasn't sure exactly what this meant, or how long it would continue to decline as it had been. There was a chance the numbers could even plateau at some point. Considering the state of the world they were living in, he didn't even know if there were any cybernetic specialists even around, much less repair parts.

Running his gloved hand through his hair, he headed toward the door and made his way to the Kitchen. MOMO had just set down a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit. Alby had made himself comfortable underneath the table, as if he was prepared for any scraps that might fall his way. Ziggy joined them at his usual spot. Instead of a plate, a glass of ice water sat there on a pink lace-printed napkin. He didn't need to eat, nor could he even ingest or process food, but he still needed water from time to time. It was all he could have during meals. Because of this, MOMO put all her effort into making the glasses of water extra special.

"Good Morning, Ziggy!" MOMO smiled at him before taking a seat across from Juli in her usual spot. "Did you sleep well?"

Ziggy nodded. "Yeah. Did you?"

"Hmm... as best as I could. But I think I'll be okay." Instead of drinking her usual glass of orange juice, she had a cup of coffee. Ziggy watched as she poured in a heavy helping of milk and several spoonfuls of sugar.

"Careful." Ziggy said. "You shouldn't consume so much sugar."

Juli chuckled and then took a sip of her own coffee, albeit she preferred considerably less sugar. "She'll be fine." Usually in the morning she preferred her usual tea. However, because she had little sleep the night before, coffee seemed the best choice. In a way, it was still strange to see her daughter drinking coffee, among many other things that someone her age would usually partake in. Part of Juli hadn't entirely accepted that she was an adult as well as the same height. It was a part of motherhood, she seemed sure. Still, she felt she had taken too much for granted not being able to truly be there for MOMO for most of the time she had been in her previous form.

"I'm still not really sure what I want to say in the interview. I don't really even know what kind of questions they're going to ask." MOMO gazed down at her plate.

"Reporters can be really tough, MOMO." Juli told her. "You have to be prepared with a response to personal and invasive questions. When they ask me things like that, I like to say 'No Comment', and that usually helps. Though some can be very persistent."

"Your mother's right." Ziggy spoke up. "Focus on speaking about the network." Ziggy explained. "That's all that they need to be concerned with, but keep your guard up just in case."

"Alright." MOMO nodded before taking a bite of toast. "I also asked Doctus for some advice because she's really good with words. She gave me some pointers too!"

"That's good to know." Juli replied as she finished up her breakfast. "Well, we should probably go get ready. We have a long day ahead of us. Thank you for the breakfast, it was very good MOMO."

"You're welcome!" She smiled and stood reaching for the empty plates.

"Go ahead and get ready." Ziggy told her. "I'll clean up. I don't need to do anything special to prepare." He picked up the empty plates and took them to the sink.

"Thanks Ziggy!" MOMO told him as trotted off toward her room Alby in tow.

Ziggy's attention was turned toward the sink focusing on washing the dishes. If it weren't for his sensors, he wouldn't have noticed that Juli was still sitting in the same spot. When he realized this, he looked over his shoulder toward her. Juli's hands were folded in her lap and a pensive expression crossed her features.

"What is it?" He asked sensing something was wrong.

Juli tensed up at the sound of his voice. She questioned how she would respond to him, how to go about choosing the correct words. She swallowed hard before replying. "You don't have to go, you know."

"I'm not going to let you go alone considering what has been going on as of late." He told her. "If something were to happen to either of you and I weren't there. I couldn't..." His voice dropped, unable to continue what he had begun to say.

She could read the pain and desperation in his voice and expression that he was trying to hide. She hesitated a long moment and it had become awkwardly quiet. He didn't turn away, but his gaze fell from her eyes to the floor. "Jan, I'm aware of what's happening to you. We both are." Juli finally told him, as if it were something she had been holding back for much longer than she had been. "You can't continue to hide it from us."

He didn't say anything. Instead, he only turned his back and returned to washing dishes, as if she had said nothing at all. Another long moment passed, as he seemingly drowned out her presence by focusing on the task at hand.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Juli didn't mask the pain in her voice as she fought to keep her tone down. She watched as his shoulders visibly slumped and he hung his head.

"I'm sorry." He muttered.

"Did you think we wouldn't notice?" She rose from her chair and took a few steps toward him.

"No." He turned off the water and placed the plate in the sink, as if he had admitted defeat.

"Jan." Juli gripped his arm and pulled him away from the sink. He turned to face her, a bit startled by her sudden actions. "You're _dying_ aren't you?" Her voice took on a desperate yet not all-together hushed tone. He could see traces of dampness forming at the rims of her eyes. "_Aren__'__t __you__!?_"

"I don't know." Ziggy said finally. "I don't know what it means. As far as I can tell, it hasn't affected my performance in any way I'm aware of."

"If going with us today is going to make it worse, I'm _not_ going to allow it!" She demanded sternly.

"And I'm not going to allow you to go alone." He told her, grabbing her wrist gently yet firmly with his right hand. "Just let me come along so I can support you and watch out for your safety."

Juli's stern gaze met his. Her expression softened as she saw a gentle sort of pleading in his eyes. "Jan..."

"Juli... _Please__._"

Juli's line of vision dropped to the floor as if she had admitted defeat herself. "_Fine__._ Have it your way."

Ziggy dropped her wrist and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Thank you. When we return, I can go to the lab and get a formal report on my condition. I'm sure I'll be fine until then." He paused for a moment and gazed into her eyes. His right hand slowly moved up, and cupped the side of her cheek. She leaned her cheek into the palm of his hand, as she felt his thumb gently stroke the surface of her skin. "I'm not going anywhere for the moment." He assured her.

She took a step closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt his close around her shoulders. "I hope you're right, Jan. I hope you're right."

* * *

MOMO stood in front of the large mirror attached to the back of her door. She looked herself up and down, wondering if the outfit she had chosen to wear looked acceptable. She buttoned up the grey cardigan sweater she had put on and examined her reflection. Frowning, she undid the buttons save for the top one. Feeling as if it looked more acceptable, she attached a decorative collar piece with a ruffled jabot.

She walked over to a vanity table in the corner and looked through her small makeup collection. She didn't have much, nor did she wear it very often. When she transferred to an adult body, Juli had bought her a makeup kit as a sort of "coming of age" present. She spent time teaching her daughter how to use it. Her skin didn't have the natural flaws of a human's so she didn't need heavy foundation. She decided on some grey and pink eyeshadow, which matched her outfit. Then, she carefully applied it, trying to keep her hand steady. Then she followed it with mascara and a bit of tinted peach-flavored lip gloss.

MOMO went to her closet and looked through her shoes, trying to decide on what would be most appropriate. She picked out a pair of black boots with pink bows attached to them. Then, she returned to the mirror again and ran a brush through her short hair. She pinned the sides back with black bows.

Feeling as if she was done, she gave herself another look in the mirror, and then twirled. Her layered skirt floated as she spun, and finally settled as she came to a stop. MOMO brushed the fabric of her skirt with her palms and then posed in the mirror, her feet turned toward each other. She felt ready to take on the world. She'd taken on countless gnosis, battled testaments, androids, and fought to save everyone from the eternal recurrence, and helped to rebuild a very important aspect of the world. She knew that a few reporters trying to pry into her personal life would be nothing. It didn't prevent her anxiety, but at least Ziggy would be there, she knew. That thought alone gave her the confidence she needed alone.

She grabbed her small cross-body purse, and tossed in a compact mirror and her lip gloss, her connection gear, and her wallet, strung it over her arm. Giving herself one last look in the mirror, she headed outside into the hallway, where Ziggy was standing in the living area waiting.

"How do I look, Ziggy?" MOMO asked as she stood before him. She smoothed out the fabric of her skirt.

"You look like a beautiful young lady." He told her, a hint of a smile crossed his features.

"Aww thank you!" She giggled, rocking back and forth on her heels. "Do you think I'll look presentable enough for the interview?"

"I think you look fine." He said.

"Well, I wanted to look grown up so I'd be taken seriously. But I also wanted to make sure that I looked... innocent enough, I guess. From what I researched, people will probably have an easier time believing what I have to say if I still kind of look a bit like I did before I transferred to an more grown-up body."

"That makes sense." He said. He began to say something else, when he noticed Juli had entered the room as well.

She was wearing a knee-length tan dress with mint green and brown detailing and a brown cardigan sweater left open in the front, mint green tights, and a pair of brown boots. Her outfit was simple yet also looked elegant.

"Mommy! You look pretty!" MOMO clapped her hands together.

"Thank you, MOMO. You look lovely yourself. I see you've been practicing with the makeup I gave you awhile back."

MOMO nodded. "Yes, I have! Does it look alright?"

"It looks perfect." Juli nodded. "It suits you very well." She headed over to the door where she kept her coat. She lifted it off the hanger and hesitated a long moment before hanging it back up again.

"You're not bringing it?" Ziggy asked.

Juli bit her lip. "It may not be such a good idea." She told him. "There was a time where I'd wear this coat proudly, but considering what has been going on as of late, maybe it would be a better idea to go without, if I am trying to prove that this new network has no connection with what Joachim did it may be better to not display the Mizrahi name so boldly for now."

"Mommy..." MOMO looked at her.

"Well... I guess we'd better get going then. We have a long ride ahead of us. She reached for a small brown purse which hung next to her bag. She unzipped it and stuffed her connection gear and wallet inside. Ziggy opened the door for the two of them. MOMO and Juli headed down the walkway toward their car while he locked the door. He entered the combination on the keypad and then turned to head to meet with the other two.

At that moment, he felt a strange sensation in his body. He tried to move his feet, but they didn't respond. He looked down, and realized that he could move his right hand, but his left hand would not respond._ "__That__'__s __Strange__..."_ He thought.

"Ziggy!" MOMO called to him. "Hurry up!"

He opened his mouth to say something, when he felt a small jolt of electricity run through his body. Suddenly, he found he was able to move again.

"Jan?" Juli looked toward him as she got into the driver's seat. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No." He told her. "I'm fine." He made it to the car and sat in the passenger seat next to Juli. He looked over at her, realizing she did not entirely believe him, but she didn't press any further. He buckled the seat belt as she turned the ignition on, and they pulled out of the driveway.

* * *

A tall man with short dark hair stood at the lobby of the Atalya Station. He had a long face and particularly deep set brown eyes which were gazing across the horizon, watching as various ships both docked and left the station heading into space. He stepped away from the window far enough to see his reflection. A long nose stared back at him, a feature that the man was never particularly thrilled about. He wore business attire, a blue dress shirt and a black sport coat with matching pants. They seemed to be a little short on his lanky legs, appearing almost in the high water territory.

"Dougal!" The voice of another man called down the hallway toward the waiting area. "Hurry up and get over here!"

The other man whipped around, and quickly headed toward the other man who was leaning against the wall. "M-Mr. Blake." He said as he reached within earshot. "I-I wasn't aware you had arrived y-yet."

"Early as always." The other man shook his head. "Never late to an appointment. You've got that going for you at least." Adair Blake was shorter and stockier man with more pleasant features. His light brown hair was brushed backwards. He was very businesslike and professional in his appearance.

"Y-You have the e-equipment right?" Dougal asked, fumbling with his hands.

"Of course." Adair gestured toward the seat next to him where a few duffel bags were placed. "Did you think I'd forget it?"

"N-No, Sir. With all d-d-due respect. I m-may not be the most b-bright, but I am good at what I d-do." Dougal frowned. "Otherwise, I w-w-wouldn't have been ass-ass-assigned to this j-job."

"...Right." Adair said, nodding in agreement. "I don't doubt your capability for this particular job. But it's your methods that seem to be lacking. I hope you can show us some improvement in that department."

"I w-w-won't let you down sir. I a-assure you t-that." He gave a gesture toward the dock area. "S-shall we b-be heading o-out?"

"Right." Adair bent over and picked up two particularly heavy bags, handing it to the taller man. "Carry this." He said. "It's your equipment anyway."

Dougal doubled over from the weight as he slung it over his shoulder. He watched as the shorter man picked up a lighter looking briefcase and bag. Yet he didn't bother to complain.

The two said very little as they made their way down the hallway toward their dock. They boarded a small ship. Entering it, they headed down a hallway toward a room. Dougal inserted a key card into the lock and the door freely slid open. It was a small conference room, with a long table and several swivel chairs bolted to the floor. The two men placed the bags on the floor and headed to the back of the room.

Adair sat down at the center back chair, and set up his connection gear, Dougal followed suit in the chair adjacent to him. "The press conference is taking place at 1630 hours. So we will have some time to get situated there. For obvious reasons, we cannot conduct the operation during the conference itself, but we will need to lure them to a safer location." He told him.

A map of the city center appeared on the main screen. "The target is going to be staying in the Mobius 11 hotel, located here. About four blocks east toward the shore, there is an old industrial district. It's mostly abandoned at this point in time. It would be our primary place to carry out the operation."

"And what of her bodyguard?" Dougal asked, glancing over his own notes. "He is one to be reckoned with, that's for sure. The plan will be to separate him from Mizrahi. He would immediately go to retrieve the 100-series if she happens to be in the most danger. Using that as a distraction, we should be able to take Mizrahi and make an escape." Adair cleared his throat and continued. "We will be able to use our _little__weapon_ at that point to disable the cyborg, and retrieve the 100-Series as well."

"T-That seems like a solid plan, but it will take some precision to ensure that your plan unf-folds as it s-should." Dougal stuttered.

"That's where you come in." Adair told him. "You know what to do."

Dougal nodded. "Y-Yes S-s-sir."

"Good." Adair stood up and handed him a file. "Give it a thorough look-over on our way there. Make sure you've studied it thoroughly. I want this operation to go smoothly. I'll be returning in a few minutes. I'm going to let the captain know that we're ready and ensure the plans are good to go." He turned toward the door leaving the other man alone.

Dougal looked over the file for a few moments, as if he was waiting for the sound of the footsteps to diminish. Once in the clear, he pulled out his connection gear. Dougal spoke in a hushed tone, barely audible from the other side of the room. "This is Sullivan. I'm going to send over the documents to you momentarily. Make sure that you watch for the signal we discussed. And... Just as I suspected, They are unarmed in this operation, so we will be able to go all-out without any worries. This should be a piece of cake."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** This took a little longer than expected, but that's the second chapter. With any luck, I'll hopefully get the next one out a bit sooner. It's difficult for me to write the more boring expository scenes than the more action and emotion filled ones. Thank you kindly for the reviews, reads, and favorites so far!


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